1. Vision for reproducing new churches motivates church life.

2. Leaders ordained. They, in turn, recognize new emerging leaders (shepherding deacons) of new congregations and take responsibility for their development.

3. Church planter redefines relationship to leaders as a resource person. Seeing new churches started without the church planter.

4. Elders, possibly with church planter, lay hands on new elders in the newer community.

Most church planters serving with the team are "tent-makers". They function as church planters while holding a secular job. The team is responsible to make up a budget for each year. A copy is sent to all supporting churches and individuals, as well as to anyone else who requests a copy. Non-supported church planters determine the need of supported church planters. We use as a benchmark for supported church planters the salary of a public school teacher. A non-member of the team serves as the treasurer and financial secretary. She is responsible for all deposits, writing of all checks, and financial reporting of the team. A person outside of the team handling the finances guards the team from potential misuse of appropriated funds and misinterpretations from outside sources. Our books are audited by an outside auditor each year.

The Fellowship of Church Planters is a "faith mission". We believe that the God who has called us to this ministry will provide the necessary finances to carry out His work. The problem of financial support for the church planting team is a spiritual problem just as it was for the Apostle Paul and his team. Just as they went forth in faith, so also we go forward in faith. If our faith is in God then it is His responsibility to meet our needs. If our dependence is upon man than our hope is in something that can fail. If our faith is in the Lord then our hope is in the One who never fails. If the Lord so leads, each supported member of the team is ready to work in a secular job to meet their personal, financial needs while continuing full involvement with the work. For most that will be the normal way the Lord provides for our needs. For all (supported or self-supporting) their "vocation" (calling) is to church planting.

The Lord is meeting our financial needs in three ways:

First they are met by local, participating churches. We find in Philippians 4:15-20 that the local assembly at Philippi helped Paul this way. After the apostles had labored in Macedonia (including in the city of Philippi),they left for Thessalonica. The church at Philippi continued to send gifts to them. From the letter to the Philippians, we know that while Paul was in Macedonia and Thessalonica, his supplies came from Philippi. Without this support, Paul's work in this area would have been very limited. Paul did not request financial support from them (vs 17 "not that I seek the gift") but was praising God for this "fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God" that was "credited to their account". They had become partners with Paul in participating in the other works as they supported him.

Paul desired not to become a financial burden to any of the churches. Twice it is recorded that Paul asked the churches to pray for him that he might be enabled for the work, kept faithful and protected from danger, but there is no request for prayer that his financial needs be met. Every local assembly should have the opportunity to be full partners with us in the Lord's work, but, like Paul, we do not want to impose burdens upon churches. When Paul had occasion to refer to his needs, he was very careful to make it clear that he was not making an appeal. After reminding the Corinthians that he had received nothing from them for preaching the gospel, he says that he would continue to minister to them at no charge (II Cor 11:9-12). After gratefully acknowledging the gift of the Philippians, he makes it clear that his trust is in God, not man, to meet his needs.

The second way our financial needs are being met is by interested individual believers who are burdened by God to participate in our ministry. These receive a quarterly update of our ministry (This is how the Church Planting Bulletin got started). This support is not solicited; if these people are moved to support us, whether financially or in prayer, God is to receive the glory. In Titus 3:14; I Cor. 16:6; II Cor. 1:16; Acts 14:27, 15:3,4 we see individual believers willingly meeting the needs of those traveling around doing the work of the Lord. This was done out of devotion to the Lord, and was a witness to the lost around them.

The third way the needs of the team are met is by the team itself. In Acts 20:34 Paul states "you yourself know that these hands ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me". Paul worked to meet the needs of the team. Paul also makes reference to Titus earning his wages when he asks the Corinthians "Did I take advantage of you through any of those I sent to you? I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps?" (II Cor. 12:17,18) We believe that a portion of the church planter's giving should go to the support of the team. This will lessen the burden of financial support from the participating churches and from the new works.

We recommend that church planters not normally give to the church they are planting since this will offer them a false sense of security in regards to their financial stewardship. The church needs to become responsible for giving to the poor, missions, etc. The church planter should be exemplary in his giving, even though it is not to the new work in which he is engaged. He should let them know that his giving is to other churches and missions. Normally we do not receive giving from church we are planting, but will receive offerings from them after we leave.

Therefore often unsupported members of the team are heavily involved in supporting the team financially. Supported members give to the team only if there are other members they are investing in. Otherwise they usually give to established churches or missionaries in other fields.

In poorer developing countries this practice of not giving to new works should be scrupulously obeyed. Churches in such circumstances often not only become dependant on the money of the westerner, but also disgrace the testimony of the saints. It is easy for wrong motives to crop up and genuine Christians be reduced to becoming "rice Christians". Except in extremely rare situations the church planter should remain firmly outside the financial circle of the church. We encourage teams to develop policies to give guidance to their members, especially when working amongst the poor.

In summary, it is the team's belief that we are called to the ministry of church planting. It is also our belief that the Lord has provided for our needs in three ways: the church, the individual and the church planter. God will provide "the laborers to go into the harvest fields, that are white for harvest". As we trust the Lord to save His own and gather them into His church, we must also trust that the Lord will provide the financial means.

1. Where are you giving?

2. Why?

3. Why is it not good to give to the church you are planting?

4. How else can you destabilize a new work financially?

5. Is the Lord satisfied with your stewardship?

6. Do you need to make any changes in your stewardship?